


It's Complicated

by IllusoryCrystal



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Fluff, Friendship, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-18
Updated: 2018-01-21
Packaged: 2018-12-16 21:02:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 1,099
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11837001
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IllusoryCrystal/pseuds/IllusoryCrystal
Summary: Moments between Steve and Tony described in 100 words.





	1. Overload

**Author's Note:**

> This is Stony exercise for my brain, because I sometimes just need to write in bursts but I also need to be brief.

Having an IQ above 200 had many perks, one of which was the ability to solve the most difficult problems in an hour.

“Tony.”

That also meant an overdrive one time too often.

“Tony?”

Muttering nonstop about a series of mishaps from the company to today’s training, he toggled between issues without solving any. How mortifying.

“Tony!”

“What?” He swiveled his chair. Steve had a burger in hand, complete with a frown.

“Take a break. Eat.” The burger was plopped onto his lap. “Let’s talk about it.”

Tony could not be more thankful that Steve knew what he needed.


	2. Nursing

Tony clicked his tongue upon seeing the large gash running down Steve’s side. The captain’s hiss made his stomach lurch.

He expertly cleaned and dressed the wound, careful not to hurt it any more than it already stung. Then he helped him up the bed, after which Steve laughed, irking him a bit.

“Falling down a cliff isn’t funny at all, Steve.”

“No, but I think I want to be nursed by you from now on.” If the guy were not bed-bound and already injured, Tony would have punched him.

“Are you blushing? That’s cute.”

“Shut the fuck up, Rogers.”


	3. Subtle

“Any chance you’ll retire?”

Steve looked up. Tony was fiddling with the new design for Natasha’s uniform, a hologram of Sam’s wings assembling and disassembling at his side. He turned back to his sketch, that vivid memory of Tony falling in the sky.

“Not so soon. I’m looking after someone with self-destructive tendencies.”

“Says the guy who did kamikaze on the Tesseract.”

Steve snorted.

“Why don’t the both of you retire, live together, and paint each other’s nails?” Natasha cut in as she entered. They looked at her then at each other. It was Tony who spoke.

“Malibu should work.”


	4. Oblivious

While Tony and Steve conversed quietly on the Chitauri incident last month, Clint sat drinking with Natasha. “You think they’ve got something going on?”

Natasha quirked an eyebrow at him. He grunted. “How long?”

“Three days after Chitauri.”

“Hack.”

Steve mentioned a waitress wanting to date him, prompting a wide smile and a clap on his shoulder from Tony. The encouragement was received with a downcast gaze and a negation. Tony rolled his eyes.

“They’re clueless.”

“Okay, Steve. We’re going out, you and me. Tonight. The Big Bar,” Tony huffed.

“Sounds good.” Steve was grinning. The agents sighed.

“They’re idiots.”


	5. Decoration

He was engaged with his StarkPad when he bumped into a formidable object in the way. Steve was staring up the wall.

“Steve? What are you doing--?” Tony followed his gaze and his jaw snapped shut.

Steve smiled knowingly at him. “Clint told me you had a Captain America portrait in your office.”

Tony huffed, detouring for the couch. “Everybody admires the great Captain America!” Not what he expected was the hand that clapped on his head, ruffling his hair.

“I like Iron Man,” Steve chuckled. “Can you get me his autograph?”

Tony laughed. “Charming.”

“Only for my favorite fan.”


	6. Insomnia

He put away the recently completed suit and pushed his goggles up.

No. He could not sleep.

Tony shuffled out of the laboratory in the direction of the kitchen. He was surprised by the mop of dirty blond hair sitting at the island. “Steve?”

The brightness was gone from the soldier’s face and his shoulders seemed heavy. “Tony,” he nodded, his voice hard.

Tony sat on the seat across from Steve. “Nightmares?”

Steve sighed. “Memories. You?” Tony shrugged.

They spent the next hours watching reruns. The next morning, Bruce found them snoozing on the couch, with Tony sprawled over Steve.


	7. Shows

It was becoming common to find the Avengers leaders fighting over the remote.

“It’s a new episode of CSI!” Tony growled.

“I can’t miss Grey’s Anatomy!” Steve whined.

Natasha watched this contest of wills continue for ten minutes. Steve was winning, what with him having the remote and Tony not being as physically competent. When Tony slumped in defeat, Steve laughed and gave him a one-arm hug.

“Steve won this round.” A grunt sounded in her ear.

“Should we tell them about customized scheduling?”

“Over my dead body, Clint.”

Watching their leaders bond was the best part of the day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Familiar?


	8. Attachment

Watching Tony with Peter was like witnessing an estranged father dote on his son after years of separation.

“It’s adorable that Tony spoils Peter, isn't it?”

Natasha was peeking at his sketch over his head. Steve tilted it back to examine it more.

“Yeah. Don’t you?” he smiled. “It was just my mom and me when I was a boy. Must be nice to have a father.”

A lengthy few seconds passed before Natasha answered and Steve realized his mistake.

“Tony had one who didn’t feel like it.”

Steve remembered to take care of Tony the way Howard did not.


	9. Anxiety

The museum was quiet today. Weekdays meant slow traffic. It made Tony slightly apprehensive but comforted at the same time, a common but confusing occurrence recently.

Steve was staring at him strangely, so when he voiced this out, the former’s understanding smile was a relief.

“Had that since I woke up from the ice.”

The revelation was unexpected, helping Tony realize where his ordeal was coming from. He had never had it before Afghanistan.

With a strong but consoling grip on Steve’s arm, he led him to that room he wanted him to see. Now where was Captain America’s statue?


	10. Mascot

“What…are you wearing?”

Tony was in a bright pink rabbit outfit complete with a set of white floppy ears and cotton tail. If there was a day Steve could say the earth was doomed, it would be now.

Tony scoffed when he saw the look on Steve’s face. “Shush, you. This is for the Medical Foundation. We’re visiting children’s hospitals.”

“‘We’?”

Peter entered the room clad in a plump, yellow suit that looked suspiciously like a mutated mouse. “It’s heavy,” he murmured shyly.

Steve tagged along to watch. The day ended with him sporting a Winnie the Pooh suit.


	11. Dog

Seeing a puppy in the center of the common room had Tony frozen for a full minute. Understandably, the invader was blissfully ignorant of his growing apprehension while it hungrily suckled on Steve’s fingers with quiet, eager whines. Few seconds passed; his mind ran through all the possible complications of keeping a canine under their roof. Before he could voice out what he thought seemed to be the most urgent problem, Steve greeted him with a warm, sleepy grin and an equally relaxed, “Tony.”

Tony smiled and joined him on the couch.

A four-legged friend might not be so bad.


End file.
